Jan 4, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Broadcaster and former Houston Cougars player Elvin Hayes is the honorary captain before a game against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane at Hofheinz Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Elvin Hayes Should Be Appreciated More From Time With Wizards

Originally posted on Washington Wizards on SI
By Tyrone Montgomery | Last updated Aug 19, 2025 7:00 AM ET

When we think of the Washington Wizards franchise in the NBA, who do you think of first? Some of you may think of John Wall. Wall feels like the one that got away, but injuries got the best of him and ruined everything. However, when we think of John Wall, the only thing we can think of is what could have been if he had stayed healthy. Some may even think of Gilbert Arenas because he was a player who could score everywhere on the court. However, one player that seems to be forgotten about and maybe even underappreciated is Elvin Hayes.

- The New York Knicks haven’t had anyone on the All NBA first team since 1990 (35 years)

- The Atlanta Hawks haven’t had anyone make it since 1986 (39 years)

- The Washington Wizards?? 1979 (46 years)

The Mavs had a guy make it 5 times in a row at 25 years old & traded him. pic.twitter.com/nxIG652ZL6
— HeroOfTheDay (@Hero_OfThe_Day) August 14, 2025

Hayes is a player who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990. As that has been quite some time now, it’s easy to forget how great he was. He was a walking double-double machine as he certainly had the size to dominate. He stood 6’9 inches tall and weighed 230 pounds. He had a career average of 21 points per game to go along with 12 rebounds. He spent seven seasons with the Wizards franchise. At the time, they were known as the Bullets. His seven seasons with the Wizards franchise were some of his prime years. One special note about Hayes is the fact that he is the last player of this franchise to be named to the ALL-NBA First Team dating back to 1979.

Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Hayes was special. He made the NBA All-Star team 12 times throughout his time in the league. In 1969, he won a scoring title when he averaged 28 points each game, and that still holds weight today. While he has been known as a scorer throughout his days in the NBA, he is still the Wizards franchise leader in points with 13,658 points scored for the team. Bradley Beal may have passed him if he had never gotten traded, as he trails him being listed second on the list with 12,235 all-time points for the Wizards. More than anything, Hayes was always ready to work as he never missed more than two games in any of his 16 seasons in the NBA. Hayes is a player who deserves a bit more appreciation.

This article first appeared on Washington Wizards on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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